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Joe McDonald, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Final Team Finland World Cup roster projection

Everything seemed so cut and dried for Finland as it prepared for the World Cup of Hockey. But the final roster selections could become more difficult than expected for general manager Jere Lehtinen thanks to the emergence, at the world championships, of 18-year-old prospects Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi.

Laine and Puljujarvi are expected to be among the top five players selected in the entry draft in June; it will also be interesting to see if they each earn a spot on Finland's World Cup roster. When the final lineup is announced, the Finns could be not-so-surprisingly good. My final seven projections for that roster are in bold.

Forwards

Laine would gain valuable developmental experience if he is added to Finland's roster for the World Cup. Plus, he deserves a spot. He can play either wing and could be a good fit with Komarov and Lehtera. If Laine is selected and plays well, he could be moved up in the lineup because he's so versatile and talented. He was first in scoring at the World Junior Championship in January. It'll be interesting to see if Finland takes Pulkkinen over Puljujarvi. Pulkkinen, 24, played 36 games for the Detroit Red Wings this season, scoring six goals and adding six assists for 12 points. Finland already has a talented front end with a youthful spark.

Defensemen

Defense should be a strength again for Finland. When the original 16 spots were announced, Lehtinen selected only five D-men and left the remaining positions up for grabs. Pokka, 22, posted 10 goals and 35 assists for 45 points (in 76 games) for the Chicago Blackhawks' AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. Hietanen, 30, played for Moscow Dynamo in the KHL and brings a veteran presence to a young blue line. Lindbohm, 22, spent the majority of the season playing for the St. Louis Blues' AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. He played 10 games for the Blues this season. Jokipakka, 24, started the season with the Dallas Stars but was traded to the Calgary Flames in February.

Goaltenders

As with Sweden, Finland's strength is goaltending and defense. It starts in the net with Rask and Rinne. The New York Rangers' Antti Raanta would be a better choice for the Finns' third spot because who knows if Lehtonen, who is a legit No. 1 goalie, would want to sit and watch as a reserve. It'll be interesting to see which goalie emerges as the No. 1. Even though Rask was the starter when Finland won bronze in Sochi, he missed the semifinal game against Sweden with the flu. One wonders if Lehtinen will take that into consideration when making his decision.

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